Heat dissipation device with fixing member for heat pipe thereof

ABSTRACT

An exemplary heat dissipation device includes a heat absorbing base, a heat pipe thermally connected to the heat absorbing base, and a fixing member including a main body abutting to the heat absorbing base and two clamps extending from the main body, the heat pipe is sandwiched between the main body and the heat absorbing base, each of the clamps includes an arm portion and a curved portion extending from the arm portion toward the heat absorbing base, the arm portions of the two clamps clamp two opposite lateral sides of the heat absorbing base, the curved portions of the two clamps elastically clamp edges of the heat absorbing base away from the main body.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure generally relates to heat dissipation devicessuch as those used in electronic apparatuses, and more particularly to aheat dissipation device with a fixing member which secures a heat pipeof the heat dissipation device to a heat absorbing base of the heatdissipation device.

2. Description of Related Art

It is well known that heat is generated by many kinds of electroniccomponents, such as central processing units (CPUs), integrated circuitchips and memory cards, during their operation. If the heat is notefficiently removed, the electronic components may malfunction or sufferdamage. Typically, a heat dissipation device is provided to cool suchelectronic components.

The heat dissipation device typically includes a heat absorbing base, aheat sink and a heat pipe. The heat absorbing base is attached to a heatgenerating electronic component such as a CPU, and absorbs heat from theheat generating electronic component. The heat pipe thermally connectsthe heat absorbing base with the heat sink, to transfer the heat fromthe heat absorbing base to the heat sink. The heat pipe is generallysoldered to the heat absorbing base with tin. However, if in operationthe temperature of the heat dissipation device is too high, the tin isliable to melt. This may cause the heat pipe to loosen from the heatabsorbing base or even separate from the heat absorbing base. As aresult, the heat generated by the heat generating electronic componentcan not be taken away efficiently, and the heat generating electroniccomponent may malfunction or suffer damage.

What is needed, therefore, is a heat dissipation device which canovercome the described limitations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Many aspects of the disclosure can be better understood with referenceto the following drawings. The components in the drawings are notnecessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed uponclearly illustrating the principles of the disclosure.

FIG. 1 is an assembled, isometric view of a heat dissipation device inaccordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the heat dissipation device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is similar to FIG. 2, but viewed from another aspect.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a fixing member of the heat dissipationdevice of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made to the drawings to describe one or moreembodiments of the present heat dissipation device, in detail.

Referring to FIG. 1, a heat dissipation device 100 in accordance with anembodiment of the disclosure is shown. The heat dissipation device 100includes a heat sink 10, a heat absorbing base 30, a heat pipe 20thermally connecting the heat sink 10 with the heat absorbing base 30,and a fixing member 40 for fixing the heat absorbing base 30 on a heatgenerating electronic component (not shown) such as a CPU.

Referring also to FIGS. 2 and 3, the heat sink 10 includes a top plate11, a bottom plate 12, and a plurality of fins 13 between the top plate11 and the bottom plate 12. The top plate 11 and the bottom plate 12 areplanar and parallel to each other. Each of the fins 13 is perpendicularto the top plate 11 and the bottom plate 12. Every two neighboring fins13 are spaced apart from each other, and cooperatively define a passage14 therebetween. Each fin 13 defines two receiving holes 16 in a middlethereof. Each fin 13 also comprises two annular flanges 15 extendingperpendicularly from a main body thereof around the receiving holes 16,respectively. When the fins 13 are assembled together, the flanges 15 ofeach fin 13 abut a neighboring fin 13, and the corresponding receivingholes 16 and flanges 15 of the fins 13 align with each other,respectively.

The heat pipe 20 includes an evaporating section 22, a pair ofcondensing sections 21, and a pair of connecting sections 23interconnecting the evaporating section 22 and the condensing sections21. The condensing sections 21 are a first condensing section 211 and asecond condensing section 212, which are parallel to each other. Thefirst condensing section 211 and the second condensing section 212 arereceived in the two channels 16. The evaporating section 22 iscylindrical. The evaporating section 22 and the first condensing section211 form an acute angle therebetween, and the evaporating section 22 andthe second condensing section 212 form an obtuse angle therebetween. Theconnecting sections 23 are a first connecting section 231interconnecting the first condensing portion 211 and one end of theevaporating section 22, and a second connecting section 232interconnecting the second condensing section 212 and another end of theevaporating section 22. The two connecting sections 231, 232 are curved,and the curvature of the first connecting section 231 is greater thanthat of the second connecting section 232.

The heat absorbing base 30 includes a first surface 31 and a secondsurface 32 at opposite sides thereof. The first surface 31 is forcontacting the heat generating component. The heat absorbing base 30defines an approximately semicylindrical first groove 33 in the secondsurface 32.

The fixing member 40 includes a main body 41, and four clamps 42extending correspondingly from four corner edges of the main body 41generally toward the heat absorbing base 30. The main body 41 is plateshaped and defines an approximately semicylindrical second groove 411corresponding to the first groove 33. The second groove 411 and thefirst groove 33 cooperatively receive the evaporating section 22 of theheat pipe 20 therein.

Referring also to FIG. 4, the four clamps 42 are substantially L-shaped.Each clamps 42 includes an arm portion 421 for clamping a lateral sideof the heat absorbing base 30, a curved portion 422 extending from thearm portion 421 generally toward the heat absorbing base 30, and asecuring portion 423 extending from the curved portion 422 in adirection generally away from the heat absorbing base 30 andperpendicular to the arm portion 421. The securing portion 423 is usedfor securing the heat dissipation device 100 more firmly in positionwhen the heat dissipation device 100 is applied in, e.g., an electronicdevice. For example, the securing portion 423 can be engaged with acorresponding component (not shown) of the electronic device, such as aclip on a circuit board on which the heat generating electroniccomponent is mounted.

When the heat dissipation device 100 is assembled, the two condensingsections 211, 212 of the heat pipe 20 are respectively received in thecorresponding receiving holes 16 of the heat sink 10. The evaporatingsection 22 of the heat pipe 20 is pre-positioned in the first groove 33of the heat absorbing base 30, for example by being soldered in thefirst groove 33 with tin. Then the fixing member 40 is locked on theheat absorbing base 30, with one semicylindrical portion of theevaporating section 22 away from the first groove 33 received in thesecond groove 411. The main body 41 and the four clamps 42 are pressedonto the heat absorbing base 30, until the curved portions 422 of theclamps 42 elastically clamp edges of the first surface 31 of the heatabsorbing base 30. In this position, the arm portions 421 of the clamps42 clamp two opposite lateral sides of the heat absorbing base 30, andthe main body 41 is firmly attached to the second surface 32 of the heatabsorbing base 30. Finally, the securing portions 423 of the fixingmember 40 are engaged with other components (such as clips, not shown),and the first surface 31 of the heat absorbing base 30 is attached tothe heat generating electronic component.

In use of the heat dissipation device 100, the heat absorbing base 30absorbs the heat generated by the heat generating electronic componentquickly. The heat is transferred to the heat sink 10 via the heat pipe20, and then dissipated into ambient air efficiently.

In summary, the heat dissipation device 100 includes the first groove 33and the second groove 411, which cooperatively receive the evaporatingsection 22 of the heat pipe 20. In addition, the fixing member 40includes the clamps 42, which have the arm portions 421 and the curvedportions 422. The arm portions 421 clamp lateral sides of the heatabsorbing base 30, and the curved portions 422 elastically clamp theedges of the first surface 31 of the heat absorbing base 30. Thereby,the heat pipe 20 can be fixed to the heat absorbing base 30 firmly.Furthermore, if solder is applied between the fixing member 40 and theheat absorbing base 30, the strength and reliability of the connectionbetween the heat pipe 20 and the heat absorbing base 30 are furtherenhanced.

It is to be understood that the above-described embodiments are intendedto illustrate rather than limit the disclosure. Variations may be madeto the embodiments without departing from the spirit of the disclosureas claimed. The above-described embodiments illustrate the scope of thedisclosure but do not restrict the scope of the disclosure.

What is claimed is:
 1. A heat dissipation device comprising: a heatabsorbing base; a heat pipe thermally connected to the heat absorbingbase; and a fixing member comprising a main body abutting the heatabsorbing base and two clamps extending from the main body, the heatpipe being sandwiched between the main body and the heat absorbing base,each of the clamps comprising an arm portion and a curved portionextending from the arm portion generally toward the heat absorbing base,the arm portions of the clamps clamping two opposite lateral sides ofthe heat absorbing base, the curved portions of the clamps elasticallyclamping edges of the heat absorbing base away from the main body. 2.The heat dissipation device according to claim 1, wherein the heatabsorbing base comprises an approximately semicylindrical first groove,and the heat pipe comprises an evaporating section partly received inthe first groove.
 3. The heat dissipation device according to claim 2,wherein the heat absorbing base further comprises a first surface and asecond surface at opposite sides thereof, the first groove is providedin the second surface, the first surface is adapted to be attached to aheat generating electronic component, and the second surface is adaptedto be attached to the main body.
 4. The heat dissipation deviceaccording to claim 3, wherein the main body defines an approximatelysemicylindrical second groove corresponding to the first groove, and thefirst groove and the second groove cooperatively receive the evaporatingsection of the heat pipe therein.
 5. The heat dissipation deviceaccording to claim 2, wherein the heat pipe further comprises a pair ofcondensing sections parallel to each other, and two connecting sectionsrespectively interconnecting the evaporating section and the pair ofcondensing sections.
 6. The heat dissipation device according to claim4, wherein the two connecting sections are both curved, and thecurvature of the first connecting section is greater than that of thesecond connecting section.
 7. The heat dissipation device according toclaim 4, wherein the evaporating section and one of the condensingsections form an acute angle therebetween, and the evaporating sectionand the other one of the condensing sections form an obtuse angletherebetween.
 8. The heat dissipation device according to claim 1,further comprising a heat sink, wherein the heat sink comprises aplurality of fins parallel to each other, and every two neighboring finsare spaced apart from each other with a passage defined therebetween. 9.The heat dissipation device according to claim 1, wherein each of theclamps further comprises a securing portion extending from the curvedportion in a direction generally away from the heat absorbing base. 10.The heat dissipation device according to claim 9, wherein the securingportion is substantially perpendicular to the arm portion of the clamp.11. A heat dissipation device comprising: a heat absorbing base; a heatpipe thermally connected to the heat absorbing base; and a fixing membercomprising: a main body abutting the heat absorbing base; and two clampsextending from opposite sides of the main body, each of the clampscomprising: an arm portion; and a curved portion extending from the armportion generally toward the heat absorbing base; the arm portions ofthe clamps clamping two opposite lateral sides of the heat absorbingbase, and the curved portions of the clamps elastically clamping edgesof the heat absorbing base away from the main body such that the heatpipe is interferingly engaged between the main body and the heatabsorbing base.